Always and Forever
by ProphecyChild
Summary: This has been done a million times, but here is one more story of how Peeta and Katniss became the in love married couple with two children. Watch them through the good and the bad, overcoming it all. Post series, Pre epilouge


**Alone Together**

**K**atniss sat on her front porch looking out at the houses surrounding her. Actually she was only looking at one house specifically. His house. Two weeks ago she had been sitting with Peeta enjoying a great evening at home when she had said the wrong thing and Peeta walked out. She didn't know what to say to get him to come back. She had never been overly concerned that she had never been good with her words, but in that instant she was furious with herself when nothing substantial escaped from her. Four years ago, when the war was over she didn't mind being by herself and not talking to anybody, but now as she sat alone on her porch watching his house she felt more alone than she ever had in her life and she hated it. Hated the loneliness, the silence, her thoughts keeping her company. She missed Peeta's voice keeping her company, his laugh, smile, eyes and the comfort he provided her. Katniss didn't understand how everything to turn to crap so fast. As she watched him come out of his house and down the walk over to his mailbox only to turn back to his door without glancing once in her direction she reflected on the events that got her to this moment. The moment he came back into her life for good.

**K**atniss sat alone in her livingroom by the front windows watching the sky outside. The sun was just starting to disappear beneath the horizon casting a yellow-orange glow that made everything glow soft and warm. Greasy Sae was in the kitchen making dinner, just like she had for five months since returning to district 12. This time was different. These last four weeks had been different. Tonight Peeta would be joining them. Katniss had yet to fully place her feelings on how she felt about Peeta staying over for dinner. Sae came into the living room looking rather distracted.

**"Katniss**, everything is ready and you will have enough for left overs for a couple of nights. I'm glad to see you doing much better and I think you can handle yourself. I'll be back to check in on you now and then. Just be nice to Peeta. Remember, he is healing just as you are."

**K**atniss watched Sae leave with confusion. Katniss had come to rely on Sae more than she realized. Once she was alone agian she looked around the room not exactly sure what she was supposed to do. The quiet was starting to setlle in when a knock brought Katniss out of her stupor. She slowly gained her feet to answer it. Opening the door she was face to face to Peeta. She hadn't had to be alone with him before. It was always Sae, her, and Peeta. This would be interesting. She stepped aside to let him in and noticed for the first time he carried a loaf of bread. After the door was shut they stood there awkwardly staring at each other. Katniss asked, "Are you baking again?" while pointing to the loaf of bread in his hands.

**P**eeta looked down at the bread and nodded smiling so brightly he looked like the boy Katniss used to and it made her catch her breath. She hadn't seen that boy in a long time. She looked closer at the bread but didn't recognize it.

**"That's** good Peeta. I'm glad to hear that you are finding some sense of normalcy."

**K**atniss felt herself blush a little, Peeta just gave her an odd look and almost looked as if he wanted to ask her something but remained silent deciding better of it.

**K**atniss continued into the kitchen and gathered bowls for the soup. Peeta went right to work getting a cutting board and a bread knife slicing the bread and then setting it in the middle of the table. He sat down unsure of what to do. Katniss decided that the stew just needed a minute or two more before it was deemed ready.

**"It** looks like we are on our own from now on. Sae decided that we could handle it from here." Katniss felt obligated to explain. It was only after a minute that she understood the implication of what she just said. She stared into the pot not wanting to look over at Peeta to see how he took the news. For the first time since coming back to 12 five months ago they would be spending time alone together. Could she handle that? Could he? Were they ready?

**K**atniss hadn't asked about his tracker jacker episodes and he hadn't offered up any information. She knew that when he first got back that they occcred every other day. Would they be able to sit together every night? What would they talk about? How were they supposed to move past the awkwardness? Does he want that? All these questions ran through her mind as she meticulously stirred the soup.

**B**ehind her Peeta sat at the table in his usual spot alternating between watching the table and watching her. He could tell that something was bothering her. Was it him, his being here? Was it that she was alone with him or that he was alone with her? Did she really want him here? He almost got up and made some lame excuse to leave but at the last second he figured that Katniss usually spoke her opinion quite well and if she wanted him to leave she would tell him straight out.

**S**he turned off the stove and ladeled the soup into bowls and brought it to the table. She set Peeta's bowl in front of him keeping her eyes on her task and she set down with her own bowl doing the same. As they ate the silence stretched out more and more in front of them. When they ate with Sae, not much conversation went on anyway unless Sae was trying to get them to speak up about their day. This though was somehow different. Katniss wanted to end the silence between them wanted to gain some normalcy something she hasn't done since returning to 12.

**T**hey used to talk to each other all the time about anything, but it hasn't been like that since they became separated in the quell. She looked up at him and found him staring at her. He just gave a lazy smile and continued eating.

**"I** want to know about you Peeta." Kaniss pushed her lips together not sure what made her say that. Peeta looked up at her carefully and then gently laid his spoon in his almost empty bowl and pushed it off to the side.

**H**e looked back up at Katniss taking the situation as if it were thin ice he was forced to walk across.

**"What** do you mean?"

**K**atniss huffed in frustration.

"**I** want to know about your life here back in 12. You come over everyday but you never say anything. I'm just curious I guess."

**"You** never offer up much either."

**K**atniss instinctively flinched, but realized that Peeta was right. As always she was being selfish and was so focused on herself. She wanted to apologize but didn't know how and exactly for what.

**S**he wanted to believe that the war had changed her, but really all it did was open her eyes to the person she had been all along. She was beginning to realize this more and more as the days went by, as she spent more time with other people besides her family and Gale.

**S**he didn't know what to say to Peeta, didn't know what she wanted Peeta to say to her. Nothing was simple between them anymore, nothing had ever really been simple.

"If you would like me to talk about my life then I will, all you have to do is ask. I don't want to talk about me though. You are so much better at words than I am and I'm sincerely interested in your life." That wasn't they way she wanted to tell him. That wasn't even half of how she wanted to express herself, but it wouldn't come out any other way.

"Why?"

It was a simple question, but Katniss still didn't understand. Peeta watched her carefully and could see that his question confused her. She never wanted anything to do with him. Through the games she did what she had to to keep herself alive and only returned the favor because she came to the insane conclusion that she owed him. He just figured, why would she care now? What made him so important to her now?

"Why what?"

"Why are you interested in my life? You never cared before."

"That's not true Peeta. I- I just... it's not." Katniss huffed out in frustration. How come the words never just came out the way she felt. It would make all this so much easier.

"Thank you for dinner. I should probably go and clean up my house." Peeta stood suddenly and headed for the door.

"Peeta, wait please. I just-" Katniss started but Peeta cut her off.

"It's okay Katniss you don't have to pretend anymore."

Peeta quickly walked out of the house. He knew he was being unfair to Katniss, but something in their conversation brought on a familiar feeling. He could feel one of his episodes coming on and he still cared enough about Katniss not to want to be near her when an altered part of himself turned and wanted to kill her. He quickly made his way over to his house and locked himself inside.

Katniss continued to sit at the table unsure of what to make of what just happened with Peeta. She may not like to think about the games or her feeling concerning them but she did know that everything that went on between her and Peeta wasn't a lie. He used to be so open and caring. Now he was harsh and hard. He hides his feelings more readily, but Katnss began to wonder if she ever really took his feeling into account. She realized it was all about her and how she was feeling, what she wanted or needed.

She cleaned up the table and did the dished. On her way up to bed she made a resolution to herself that she was going to try to become more caring to Peeta. To have a friend you have to be a friend.


End file.
